Riptide
by xPhineasx
Summary: Tenzin and Tarrlok don't get along. They never have. They never will. But temptation is a terrible thing, and Tenzin can't always resist the allure of the waterbender.


Watching Tarrlok waterbend in the bay was almost poetic.

Tarrlok would stand, waist deep in the salty water, stripped down to a single tight swim shirt and shorts. His brown skin glowed in the sun and was crusted in salt. Slow, strong, powerful motions moved the water around him. It was patient, more endurance training than speed or skill, building up his strength, pushing and pulling the deep currents of the bay. He would move, sway with the waves, pulling more and more water, muscles flexing powerfully.

He may have been the most powerful waterbender that Tenzin had ever seen, aside from his mother, father, and well, probably his sister as well. In that moment, he wasn't arrogant, chiding, pandering, or patronizing. He was beautiful, moving with the water as it moved with him.

And though he hated Tarrlok, a part of him wanted something. Wanted deep down in those places of his mind that he tried to avoid because he was of the air tribe and worldly passion was distracting. He wanted to run his hands over that dark skin, those firm muscles, and wanted to move, and be moved, like the tides by Tarrlok, even if he hated the cocky son of a bitch.

x

The first time Tenzin saw the arrogant, snarky man from the Northern Water Tribe, he was not yet a man.

Tenzin knew every inch of Republic City. It was his father's city, the city of peace and of the future, even when it had it's rough patches. Tenzin would go out and walk the streets, feeling the city breath and buzz and live around him. He already felt old, even though he was only just thirty, a small beard on his chin to make him look more distinguished. He had been in this city his whole life, watching its skyline, feeling its cobbles under his feet, flying through the twisting maze of sky scrapers on his glider. He knew the city's mood as well as he knew his own.

Today was a restless day in the city. It had rained that day, and the streets were slick with the slushy dirty water that pooled between the cobble stones. He was in one of the rougher parts of town one of the quarters were new immigrants often ended up living for a few months while they got their bearings. It was a little run down, and for a foreigner, it was often a little dangerous. The Triads loved messing with new immigrants. Tenzin knew to watch his step, but also knew that with his airbender tattoos, he was obviously the Avatar's son, and would be left alone more often than not.

He turned a corner and the temperature dropped twenty degrees. The road was coated in ice, daggers of the stuff hovered in the air. A young man, water tribe and fresh off the boat from the look of his skin and clothes, stood in the middle of the road, panting heavily. His clothes were ripped, blood oozing from his mouth, shoulder-length hair in his face. Several thugs laid around him, groaning or coated in ice.

As Tenzin approached him, ready to help, one of the thugs on the ground began to sit up, began to draw some kind of weapon, a stolen police issue electric rod from the sound of the humming. Tenzin reacted before the water tribe man could, smacking the thug back against the ground with a gust of wind, knocking him out.

The man turned and looked at him. "Nice move." He wiped the blood from his face, smearing it against his dark skin.

"You're welcome. Are you alright?" The man was much younger than him. In fact, now that Tenzin was closer, the man couldn't have been even 20 yet. But he was well built, and despite being roughed up he had taken out at least four men older than him.

"Fine," the man said. "They got the jump on me, but they were push overs."

"You're water tribe," Tenzin noted. "North or South? Just moved here?"

"North, and no. Visiting my mother, but I'm going to move here in a few years." There was a dangerous glint of ambition on his eyes, a hint of teasing. "I never knew the Avatar's boy was so nosey."

Tenzin took issue with this kid, who had to be over a decade younger than_ him_ calling him a _boy_. His airbending tattoos gave away his identity easily of course, but the lack of respect was jarring. "Your bending is impressive," Tenzin said, skirting away from potential conflict. No need to start an argument with a teenager.

"Ha, thanks old man," the boy fixed his coat and began to walk away. "By the way, I'm Tarrlok. Remember that name." He laughed and disappeared into the rain, his boots echoing off the cobbled streets. The boy struck Tenzin as a pain in the ass, and yet, he couldn't shake him from his thoughts all day.

x

Then he was on the council, acting as though he had never seen Tenzin before in his life. No longer was he the stocky, bloodied teenager in the rain. The arrogance was still there, and blown up to epic proportions, but now he was a man, strong jawed and refined. He leaned back in his chair, so happy to be there, chumming it up with everyone. Everyone except Tenzin. Tenzin, he seemed to be ignoring.

"Congratulations on being elected, Tarrlok," Tenzin said pointedly as the meeting ended. He had remembered his name.

Tarrlok looked at him, and gave a knowing kind of smirk. "Thanks old man."

Tenzin felt a rush of anger flood through him like the tide.

x

The first kiss had been dramatic.

It had started out like any normal spat between them. Tarrlok would play it cool, play the nice guy with his shit eating grin, casually disregard Tenzin, and pander to the rest of the council until Tenzin was seething.

They'd catch each other in the hallway, and a sniping match would start up. Snips, come backs, insults, with Tenzin getting angrier and angrier and Tarrlok laughing at him like he got off on it. Tenzin felt his years of experience, his maturity, the fourteen years that separated him from the cocky man in front of him, boil away in his anger. The only thing that kept him from knocking Tarrlok on his ass with a gust of airbending was the knowledge that he might lose his council chair if he did.

"You have no respect for the people of this city!" Tenzin snapped, face red. "How can you even think of proposing a bill like that?"

"Oh let it go, Tenzin. Don't you have that adorable bloated pregnant wife of yours to go home to?" There was an edge in Tarrlok's voice, his carefully maintained patience beginning to crack. If Tenzin pushed him just a little more, he might let his real anger out.

Tenzin harrumphed. "Don't you talk about my wife, you power hungry-"

"Tenzin, watch how you speak to-" Tarrlok growled.

"Irresponsible-" The sniping match was crumbling into them shouting over each other. Tenzin was embarrassed that he got so angry sometimes, but it was a trait he had inherited from his mother. Sometimes he just lost his head, and finally making Tarrlok squirm with rage was satisfying.

"You stupid old-" Tarrlok shook his head, his temper rising.

"And I don't trust-" Tenzin continued.

"I said-"

"Going to ruin this-"

"SHUT UP!" Tarrlok shouted, grabbed Tenzin by the scruff of his shirt and slammed him back into the wall behind him. Tarrlok crushed his mouth against Tenzin's without warning, without context or consent, his frustration and anger and annoyance spilling into the need to dominate. After a struggling second, Tarrlok pushed himself away from Tenzin.

There was silence in the hall. Nothing more than the sound of the two grown men, panting slightly in their rage, both of them seemingly stunned into silence by the act.

Without so much as looking him in the eye, Tarrlok turned and walked away from Tenzin was briskly as he could without running. Tenzin was left alone with his thoughts.

The second kiss was worse, because Tenzin realized that if he didn't initiate it, it would never happen. And, spirits help him, he was weak, and he _wanted _it to happen. It took him weeks. Dragged Tarrlok into a solitary alcove in city hall, and pressed him against the wall. Because he hated Tarrlok, an his stupid smug face that made him so, _so _angry. But he couldn't get the thoughts out of his head.

So he kissed him, hard, and fierce. Then he rushed away without a word, as Tarrlok had the first time.

The third kiss was easier. Tarrlok started it, but Tenzin kissed back this time. Still angry, still dominating. Not soft and sweet and slow like he kissed Pema. Not fervent and passionate. Angry, controlling, wanting to touch and own.

It was wildly out of Tenzin's comfort zone, and yet, like a riptide, it kept drawing him back.

And then Tenzin began to lose count of the kisses. They never talked about it. Didn't discuss it. Still didn't get along, still fought and bickered and came near blows in council meetings. But kisses in alcoves made their way to hotel rooms, then to Tarrlok's townhouse overlooking the bay.

The first time in Tarrlok's room, Tenzin had noticed the view. Standing at Tarrlok's window, Tenzin could see his father's statue, could see his own home on the island in the bay, could see his own bedroom window. How strange. How very strange, to think that across the water, Pema and his children were cooking dinner and playing, and yet here he was.

The riptide had him good now.

His appreciation of the city view was quickly distracted by his first real view of Tarrlok's body, all dark skin and darker tattoos of water tribe symbols, curling over his muscles.

Tenzin's fingers kept getting tangled up in Tarlok's ponytails, his skin slick with sweat. Summers on the bay were humid, hot affairs and Tarrlok straddling Tenzin's waist, his erection pressed into Tenzin's stomach wasn't helping. It was hard to breath in the heat.

"You've done this before," Tenzin breathed.

"Are you saying you haven't?" Tarrlok quirked a smug eye brow at him, dragging his nails over the man's pale chest. Neither of them were particularly angry at the moment, but the snark and the need to feel in control never really left.

"Don't be absurd! Not with a...man..." Tenzin's face reddened more, though why he should be embarrassed was beyond him. Of course he wasn't some...some...sexual deviant like Tarrlok. Well, he _hadn't_ been.

Tarrlok laughed and began to bite a trail down Tenzin's chest. "Well, don't I feel special."

Tenzin bit back a retort as the man sunk all the way between his knees.

x

Water and Air. Always angry at each other. Always fighting. Leaving destruction in their wake. Like a Hurricane.

x

Tarrlok enjoyed laying around naked after he was done with Tenzin, relishing the feel of sweat and cold air on his skin. Tenzin would cover himself up quickly, and wash, wanting the filth off him. He stood in the doorway of the bathroom, towel wrapped around him, watching Tarrlok for a moment.

"You could be with anyone."

"Oh anyone?" Tarrlok propped himself up on one arm, "You think Pema is interested? Oh, or Hiroshi Sato. He's got money. And more hair than you." He was always ready with a snappy little comment.

"Tarrlok." Tenzin scowled. It really was amazing how quickly Tarrlok could piss him off.

"I'm flattered you think that," Tarrlok said with a smirk.

"Hrmp," Tenzin said instead of replying.

"...Are you asking me why I like dragging you may to my house every few weeks? When I could have anyone? A little attention seeking, Tenzin."

Tenzin once again didn't answer.

"Worried I'll replace you?" Tarrlok teased. He sat up straighter, his hair ties undone, pooling around him. "Sato does have some merit after all."

"Forget I asked. Arrogant prick."

"I like it when you're angry. You fuck better," Tarrlok grinned widely. "But you shouldn't worry. You could always find someone else. You seem to have plenty of luck with the young ones anyway." Tarrlok laughed louder. "Pema's even younger than me, isn't she? Some might call you a pervert."

"Oh just shut up," Tenzin snapped.

"Thanks, old man," Tarrlok laughed, and laid his head back on the bed. He didn't answer the question, but then, Tenzin wasn't sure what the answer should be.

x

Sometimes Tarrlok was deliberately infuriating. He'd be stubborn, or compare himself to Avatar Aang, or be simply pandering. The only thing worse than Tarrlok being ornery, stand off-ish and rude, was when he would flirt. Right there, in front of everyone, in front of the whole council.

He'd lean forward, chin in his palm, smirking. On days when the council had only the most trivial boring things to discuss, he would drag the meetings out by smirking, making veiled innuendos until Tenzin was squirming with rage, ready to do what ever it took to shut him up.

"Oh, I think that Tenzin makes an excellent point about needing to be firm about cabbage imports. Tenzin is so good at firmness," he said, sucking on his teeth for a moment and raising an eyebrow. "Aren't you Tenzin?"

"...Cabbage imports should...remain stable," Tenzin looked down at his hands.

The other council members looked at each other, deciding not to comment.

x

Anger, was an emotion that, before Tarrlok, Tenzin only felt occasionally and fleetingly. Now it came in waves, in and out, anger and Tarrlok, and then the release of dragging him off to some secluded place. He was ashamed of his anger, because he was always taught as an Airbender he had to be calm, but he couldn't help it. He was more ashamed of the release though, and could do even less to stop himself from indulging.

When they took their time, Tarrlok liked to explore.

The rough pads of Tarrlok's fingers on Tenzin's skin was relaxing, for so long as Tarrlok didn't speak. He ran his hands over Tenizn's airbending tattoos, up his spine, between his shoulder blades, to his neck. His hands would trace the flow of chi through Tenzin's body, pressing into the muscles as he tried to draw only the tiniest of sounds out of the man.

When they were in a fevered rush, it was all pushing, pulling, nails digging into his arms. Not time to wait. It was a battle, and someone had to win it.

x

Tenzin was sitting in the main sitting room of the temple, meditating on his thoughts. He was going to have to go to the South Pole in a few days and tell Korra that he couldn't train her yet. He wasn't looking forward to it.

"Aaaah, Tenzin, I caught you alone." There was a laugh, dark, and snarky, and so _arrogant _from the door. Tenzin turned to see Tarrlok leaning against the door frame. "I wanted to see you before your little trip."

"Tarrlok." Tenzin frowned. The man still drove him crazy. Mostly with annoyance, and yet… "You can't just wander into my house as you see fit."

"Then lock your doors," Tarrlok said, smirking. "Where's the wife?"

"I live on an island, I shouldn't need locks," Tenzin sighed.

"Where's the wife?" Tarrlok sat down next to him placing his hand on Tenzin's upper thigh.

"….she and the children went to the Park."

"Ah, so we are alone. Good to know." Tarrlok laughed, leaning closer to him. The thick scent of his cologne flooded Tenzin's nose, and he knew he wouldn't be make to make himself make Tarrlok leave. He hated himself for that.

x

"Ouch!" Tenzin winced at the scratches blooming down his chest. "Tarrlok, you can't leave marks like that! Pema will see."

"I'll heal them before I go. Now shut up." Tarrlok was laughing, his hair falling into his face, damp with sweat. _Cocky son of a bitch_, Tenzin thought.

"Clip your nails," Tenzin said, even as the pain ebbed with a twinge of pleasure.

"Grow your hair out then," Tarrlok teased. "Being bald makes you look older."

"I will do no such- ack!" Tenzin's voice cut out into another yelp of pain as Tarrloks teeth found his nipple.

x

When Tenzin got out of the shower, Tarrlok was asleep on his bed. Sprawled out, sweat slowly drying on his skin, his hair still a mess. Tarrlok looked younger in sleep, and less infuriating. It made Tenzin feel their age difference acutely.

With Pema, his attraction to her was mostly intellectual. She was beautiful of course, but he fell in love with her because she was kind, and so smart. Their age difference barely bothered him, because the bulk of his attraction to her was emotional.

With Tarrlok it was all, or nearly all, physical. The man drove him insane, and half the time he wanted to air punt him across the bay. But damn if he could resist the sex.

He sat on the edge of his bed and began to pull his clothes back on. He had promised to take Jinora gliding that afternoon. He was supposed to meet them in the park. He had to be going. Just as he was pulling on his shows though, Tarrlok shifted and wrapped one of his big, muscular arms around his waist, and suddenly, Tenzin wanted to stay. He rarely had the chance to run his hands over the man's body without having to deal with the snarky, taunting arrogance that came along with the package deal after all. He could take his time with his hands running over that skin.

Maybe….he could be a little late to his play date with Jinora…

And the tide pulled him out to sea.

. . .

. . .

Thank you all for reading.

As always, while this piece has been beta'd, no one is perfect and sometimes we miss little mistakes. If you notice any typos, please let me know. :)

Reviews, comments, kudos and likes always make my day!


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